Finding Philosophy in Music: Five Songs with Deeper Meaning.

The great thing about art is that sometimes it can explain complex things by simplicity. Although these days we are surrounded by music where most of lyrics revolves around heartbreak, tragedy and collection of catchy word but there are songs which carries deeper meanings. Sometimes its easy to listen but understanding them can take us on journey to introspect ourselves and look deeper into our psyche and fabric of reality. So, as music enthusiastic and philosopher lover, there are few song which carries deeper meaning and some key concepts about philosophy. So, here are my list of five songs with deeper philosophical meaning.

5. God is Dead ?— Black Sabbath

“God is Dead?” by Black Sabbath was released on 19 April 2013. The title of this song is a statement made by one of the most renowned philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche looked around for meaning in religion and social structure provided by society. As he said “The belief in the Christian God has become unbelievable.”, And he believe that soon these whole sense of belonging provided by faith was bound to collapse. And from there human have to find meaning for themselves.

In this song we can see the narrator is confused. We can see clearly through first lines of lyrics.

“Lost in the darkness
I fade from the light
Faith of my father, my brother, my Maker and Savior
Help me make it through the night
Blood on my conscious
And murder in mind”
But we can analyze lyrics to see his journey. First It starts with the voice is his head that “God is dead?” and remember unlike Nietzsche, this is not statement but a question for narrator.
And then he looks around and finds unjust and evil. In second verse we can see that he is asking other.
“Will someone tell me the answer?
Is God really dead?”
So, as I said earlier that its a journey of narrator. We can see how it stars with darkness and then into light. We can see change in mindset in this third verse.
“With God and Satan at my side
From darkness will come light”
And he admits that he doesn't believe that god is Dead. And we can see that this is the part where we can see it as statement rather than question. And there are still deeper meaning which I urge you to find. So, basically it is the journey of modern human struggling to find a meaning in absurd times.

4. Mr. Tambourine man — Bob Dylan

If you are familiar with the work of Bob Dylan then you can see how he uses a word to paint a imagery and open to different interpretations. This song also start with the moment where narrator is feeling down. And he is asking to Mr. Tambourine man to play song for him. And he is disturb by the absurd things happening around him. And we can see that in every era there comes times where our assumed solid structure of reality starts to crumble down. We can see it in verse 1.
“Though I know that evening’s empire has returned into sand
Vanished from my hand
Left me blindly here to stand, but still not sleeping.”
Here we can see how narrator is disturb.

This song ultimately revolves around role of art and artist which can helps us to transcend our reality, our mindset and also help us to find transformations. The narrator is broken but he trust the artist(Mr. Tambourine man) enough to ask him to take him to trip even when his hand can’t feel to grip.

And as I said earlier that this song is open the many interpretations like in verse 4 you can see that the lyrics paints apocalyptic imagery.

“And take me disappearing through the smoke rings of my mind
Down the foggy ruins of time, far past the frozen leaves
The haunted, frightened trees, out to the windy beach”
We can see that how narrator is asking to artist to take him from the apocalyptic scene to the windy beach. Where he can dance. Where he can forget his memories & fate and forget about today until tomorrow.

But although this has many interpretation but its not hard to see that it centers around the absurdism. Absurdism is the philosophy of French philosopher Albert Camus. Camus believed that human beings are unique in their ability to recognize the absurdity of their existence. Unlike other animals, we are aware of our mortality and the limitations of our existence. However, Camus did not believe that this recognition of the absurdity of existence should lead to nihilism or despair. Instead, he argued that we should embrace the absurdity of our lives and find meaning in our experiences, even though they are ultimately meaningless. And we can see that how Dylan is embracing absurd as song progress on.

So, this is one of Dylan’s finest work and amazing song revolves around Existentialism and absurdism.

3. Stairway to heaven — Led Zeppelin

Stairway to Heaven is one of the finest song of Led Zeppelin. I knew this song for very long. The music is so mesmerizing that you I never really notice lyrics. But it really has more philosophical depth than it appears.

As with almost any great art this is also open to interpretation but if you listen closely the main philosophical idea that is attached to it is Journey of archetypal hero. In book The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Jospeh Campbell, Jospeh Campbell discuss the different stages of Hero’s journey. This idea is everywhere, from star wars to Lord of the rings. And if you are familiar with work of Jospeh Campbells, then you can see find different pieces in this songs.

First place where you can see is in this line:

“There’s a feeling I get
When I look to the west
And my spirit is crying for leaving”

We can see that the protagonist of this story is seeking for a call to adventure. and he want to leave his ordinary world to seek adventure. The best thing about this song is that its not only lyrics but music is also blended in such a way that together they tell story. If you look there are moments of doubts too. It stars with slow music which embodies the start of journey. There are different moments like
“Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run
And there’s still time to change the road you’re on”

This lines shows that he started his journey and advice from his mentor.
basically, campbell’s philosophy(which have 12 steps but here’s simple version) starts with call of adventure, hero find mentor, then he faces monster(within and around him) and defeats monster and get boon which he can use for service of people around him. and you see how music and lyrics does excellent storytelling.
So, get your headphones and indulge yourself inside wonderful music and deep lyrics of Stairway to heaven.

2. Hallelujah— Leonard Cohen

This song is one of the most famous as well as filled with deep meaning. Although written by Leonard Cohen originally with more than 150 verses which took him around 7 years to write, it was first rejected by Colombia Records. but this song became one of the most influential song after cover done by amazing artist by like Bob Dylan and great late Jeff Buckley. At the surface this sounds religious song but little down deep it revolves around the moments of human experience where human utter divinity from his lips. This has different biblical sad stories, the struggle of human faith, sins and redemption. But not it goes deeper and personal level too where writer reflects his discontent and despair about his life by showing cold & broken Hallelujah.

And also below these level, the main reason why this song resonates with so many people around the globe is that it directly touches to collective unconscious.
Famous Psychologist Carl Jung coined this term. It is the reason why there are similar theme occur in mythologies around the world. Like at the core all human carries certain level of common conscious. Like in the mother child relationship, nobody need to teach mother how to love but it is something that common to consciousness. And the theme and experience shared in this songs revolves around collective unconscious. That’s why you’ll find a unknown sense of familiarity if you look deep enough.

1. Forty Six & 2 — Tool

American rock bank Tool is famous for psychedelic and art rock. And this work can be considered one of the best blend of music and philosophy (Yeah! psychology too). This song revolves around one of the key process of Carl Jung psychology. The shadow integration is the process during which both individual and collective unconscious are integrated into the personality.
Shadow is “dark Side” of our personality. But to fit in society, for reward and to get away from punishment we tend to repress our positive shadow too. And due to repression our important part, we never become whole. Its when we integrate our shadow into our personality we become whole. And this is not easy as it sounds. It can completely destroy you or can give you new life. Unlike other songs, it directly says what it stand for.

“I’ve been wallowing in my own confused
And insecure delusions
For a piece to cross me over
Or a word to guide me in
I want to feel the changes coming down
I want to know what I’ve been hiding.”

The writer is looking for piece to cross him over or word to guide him. He want to feel that changes and he want to know what’s his dark side are hiding. And the we can clearly see that he knows that change is only possible by shadow integration and that’s why he says.
“Change is coming through my shadow”
And there are different battles he knows that he has to fight to win his shadows but he is doing not this only for him but for Forty Six and Two. But what is Forty Six & 2?

Currently human have 22 pair of numbered chromosomes and one pair of sex chromosomes(i.e Forty Four numbered & 2 sex chromosomes). But according Esoteric research Drunvalo Melchizedek’s claim all humanity has restored their merkaba(Metaphysical Energy), the human race will evolve into a higher stage, in which the human race will acquire two additional chromosomes. Which makes it Forty six & 2. And though this claim in debatable but main idea is that we have to push ourselves not just for us but for future generation. And when we truly become whole and peace with even our darkest part, we’ll become our true self.

“See my shadow changing
Stretching up and over me
Soften this old armor
Hoping I can clear the way by
Stepping through my shadow
Coming out the other side
Step into the shadow
Forty six and two are just ahead of me”

At this last line we can see struggle and how writer is expressing that his shadow is changing and stretching but he hopes that he can step through his shadow and come out to other side. And he is trying he best because he hopes that best in humanity is just ahead of him.

Now I want you to hear your calling, embrace absurdism and integrate your shadows because Forty six & 2 is just ahead of you. So, the best version of yourself.